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Ré looked at Aodh. Katarina looked at Aodh.
Aodh slowly took his gaze off her and moved it to Bran, who stood, booted and caped, ready to be sent on any mission the council deemed worthy.
“Take the high road,” Aodh said. “And stop at the cellars on your way, for honey.”
Bran gave a swift nod, smiled at Katarina, and turned for the door.
*
THE NEXT FEW DAYS passed in a blur. Bright sunny days were filled with a flurry of garden planting and a deep spring cleaning for the hall and bedrooms. Evenings were filled with music and laughter, their newly joined households mingling happily with the Irish who’d come in from tribes both great and small.
The nights, long and hot, were filled with Aodh.
In such idyll, one could almost forget war was coming. Especially if one was trying to.
One morning, the men were changing guard duty on the walls. The ha
ll always bustled at such hours, and Aodh stood with a few men, leaning over a table together with a swiftly sketched rendering of the hills to the west, while Katarina hurried the servants to bring in more bread and cheese.
Into this flurry of activity, Dickon stumbled in and almost tumbled down the stairs, shouting as he came. “My lord, a messenger has come!”
Fast on his heels came one of the gate porters. ”From the queen, my lord. ’Tis from the queen!”
The hall went still. Cold rivulets of fear trickled down Katarina’s chest. She swung her gaze to Aodh, but he was already striding toward his gateman, hand out.
The porter handed it over, saying, “It is for my lady, my lord.”
Everyone turned to her.
Aodh looked at her, then handed it over.
With trembling fingers, she cracked the seal and opened the missive.
Elizabeth, by Grace of God Queen of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, to the lady of Rardove, Katarina. Know our deep displeasure in your accession to the Irish rebel Aodh Mac Con. Our castle of Rardove, held by you in Our name, in trust, is now forfeit to the Crown. Be prepared to surrender it to our man.
Drafts eddied through the air and made the page tremble.
“Without evidence?” Katarina sat down hard and lifted the paper into the air, in front of her eyes, as if staring at it harder or longer would somehow make it seem right. Or fair.
Inside her chest, there was a falling-away sensation, not so much a tumbling as a slippage. The ice shearing off again, this time into a much deeper, more turbulent sea.
“So, the queen did condemn me, without evidence.” She looked up at Aodh with a bitter smile. “Without a trial. Without a conversation. Somewhat in the manner you suggested she would.” She looked at the message again. “She did this all in her mind, turned me traitor and finished the deed.”
Aodh sat on the bench beside her. “I am sorry.”
She looked over into his beautiful, complicated eyes. The oddest thing. He who’d all but forced her into this rebellion, now apologized.
“You should leave,” he said and nodded to his men. “Ready an escort. Deliver her ladyship to the ship, thence, to wherever she wishes to go.”
The men went into motion immediately, but Aodh stayed them with a sharp addition. “Take three of the chests with you.” He looked at her. “I have friends in many places, Katy. We can find you harbor, you can stay there, safe, until…”
“Until what?”
“This is over.”
She got to her feet. “What do you mean?”
He got up too. “I have a ship, in a hidden cove, at anchor. It will take you wherever you want to go. Although if you choose the queen… I would recommend against it. But if that is your wish, my men will see it done.”
